Symbolism

Tell us more about where you’re from.
I’m from New Caledonia, which is a little island next to Australia in the South Pacific. There are a lot of beaches there, and it’s very hot all the time, like Singapore, but much smaller. It’s very beautiful!

This is actually my first time in Singapore, and I think it’s a very cool place. All the people I’ve met seem so relaxed, and it’s just very different from my island. For example, we went to the Night Safari and saw so many animals like tigers, which is very cool because in New Caledonia, there aren’t a lot of animals.

Have you gotten a chance to try our local food?
Not really. I’m afraid to try the local food here, because it’s very different from the food that I eat back home, so I’m afraid I might not be used to the flavours and ingredients used here. We eat a lot of fish and fruit back in New Caledonia.

You have a very interesting tattoo. Can you tell us more about it?
I got this tattoo in Tahiti, in the French Polynesia, because my mother is from Tahiti. It means family and power.

I only have this one tattoo for now, but I want to get more in New Caledonia and French Polynesia to represent my culture.

Are you and your family very close-knit?
Yes, we are. My father is from New Caledonia, and my mother is from French Polynesia. They met in France, and moved to New Caledonia afterwards. I have an older sister and older brother back in French Polynesia. We’re very close. I also have a little brother, and I’m travelling here in Singapore with my younger cousin and father.

My father is a steward for our local airlines, and our plane tickets are cheaper, so I get the chance to travel or go to Tahiti to see my family often.

I also have a boyfriend, and we’ve been together for five years. We met in a nightclub in New Caledonia (laughs).